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Thread: H&R Coilover - Spring perch problem

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    e90 with Cobb, H&R, more

    H&R Coilover - Spring perch problem

    I recently installed a set of H&R Street coilovers on my 2008 335Xi, and am extremely happy with the improved handling and ride. However, I have a big issue with the rear spring perches. The lock rings won't stay in place and slowly move up until they're in contact with the bottom of the spring perch. I've tightened them as much as I can.

    I read a lot of reviews of H&R coilovers and the biggest complaint I found was that the threaded adjustment rod portion of the spring perch tends to corrode over time. Based on this, I coated the portions of the threaded adjustment rod that were still showing, i.e. not under the lock rings, with a corrosion inhibitor. Now that the lock nuts have moved, they contaminated the rest of the threaded adjustment rod with the corrosion inhibitor. It's basically impossible to remove all of the corrosion inhibitor without pulling apart the suspension again because you will never be able to clean under the lock nuts. And yes, I have search the forum (and googled this) and haven't found any solution.

    So, I'm trying to figure out how to keep the lock rings in place without having to pull the suspension apart. I'm not planning to change the ride height of the car in the future, so if the solution is permanent, that's fine. Here are the ideas I've come up with:
    The first three all start with drilling a small hole through the upper lock ring and threaded adjustment rod.
    1. Insert a cotter pin through the hole and pry apart the ends inside the hollow adjustment rod.
    2. Put a small bolt through the hole, with a washer and nylon lock nut on the inside, then tighten.
    3. Tap the hole and insert a bolt to lock things together. The bolt can be tightened against the lock nut on the outside with some Loctite on it.
    4. Drill the hole ONLY through the locking ring (not the adjustment rod), tap it, and insert a locking screw (with Loctite on it) that will press against the threads of the adjustment rod, preventing the lock ring from turning.
    5. (NO drilling) - Take large washers at least the size of the lock ring, cut slots in each one as wide as the inner hole so they can be slipped over the threaded rod between the upper lock ring and spring perch. Use enough washers that they take up all of the free space between the spring perch and upper lock nut. I would rotate them to put the slots in different positions, then use a drill press to make a small hole through all of them, put them on the car, realign the drilled holes, and put a pin through them. (I do NOT really like this idea, but I put it anyway.)

    I've put a poll for each idea so you can vote, but if you have any other ideas, please post them. Thanks!
    Scott
    fast = good
    slow = bad
    See my old Porsche here...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    e90 with Cobb, H&R, more
    Bueller?...Bueller?

    Somebody must have an opinion on this!
    Scott
    fast = good
    slow = bad
    See my old Porsche here...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Middle of a corn field
    Posts
    14,761
    My Cars
    E39 hamster/ruberbandPWR
    Please post some pictures of this.

    There should be 2 lock ring spanners on the shock.
    One adjusts the height, and the other holds the other spanner in place.

    Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    e90 with Cobb, H&R, more
    Thanks for the reply. I'll get one later while I'm doing the front install.
    Scott
    fast = good
    slow = bad
    See my old Porsche here...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Middle of a corn field
    Posts
    14,761
    My Cars
    E39 hamster/ruberbandPWR
    Here is my thread installing H&R coil-overs on my E39:

    H&R Coil-over DIY install on an E39 I6
    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1379498-H-amp-R-Coil-over-DIY-install-on-an-E39-I6

    Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    4,754
    My Cars
    are slow.
    Makes no sense. There should be a plate that the spring sits on, and then under it a lock ring which gets tightened against the plate.

    You should have these two on each perch:

    https://imgur.com/a/uy65kvl
    "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
    -Dr. Seuss
    DIY BMW Tools. Charlie For President

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    e90 with Cobb, H&R, more
    Sorry for the delay in responding, and thanks for the help. I figured out why I was having trouble with things fitting and staying in place. One reason was using too much anti-corrosion product on the threads, and the second reason was I didn't tighten the locking rings enough. I only used the spanner wrenches themselves, but you need to put a pipe (or jack handle in my case) on the last ring you tighten or else they're not tight enough.
    Scott
    fast = good
    slow = bad
    See my old Porsche here...

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